What’s your experience of booking appointments on your GP website?

News - 26 October 2023

We are asking people to share their experience of using GP websites to book appointments, to help improve access to GP services in the city.

Concern about access to GPs continues to be one of the most common issues people raise with us. National and local evidence underscores the challenges people face when booking a GP appointment, including the use of digital technology, GP phone systems, long waiting times, and limited face-to-face appointments.

We have previously investigated how easy it is for people to access GP services by phone, regularly reporting to the NHS in Wolverhampton to support improvements to GP phone booking systems.

As patients are increasingly encouraged to book appointments online, we are expanding our investigation to evaluate people’s experiences of booking appointments on GP websites.

We want to find out if you use your GP website to book appointments, with your GP and other health professionals. If you don’t, we’d like to understand why? If you do, we want to know how you book appointments online, what you like about the process, and whether you think there are things that could be done differently to make it easier to get the care you need.

Your feedback drives change

Good access to GP services is an important measure of the quality of care being provided locally. Your feedback will help us identify the strengths and weaknesses in current GP website booking processes. We will use this insight to inform those responsible for GP services in Wolverhampton how to make it easier for you to get the care you need.

It’s easy to share your views

Complete our confidential survey by 13 November 2023, to share your experiences and insights. Visit healthwatchwolverhampton.co.uk to feedback online, or if you prefer a paper copy or want to share your thoughts over the phone, call Freephone 0800 246 5018.

In addition to the survey, we will be talking to people at community events and venues to gather diverse perspectives from across the city.

Read our previous reports evaluating GP phone booking systems and advising of improvements to patient access and experience: healthwatchwolverhampton.co.uk/key-projects

GP communications with patients

We asked patients about the communications they receive from their GP practice to help improve NHS public engagement work around changes to primary care delivery in Wolverhampton.
Report

Access to GPs in Wolverhampton

We called all GP practices in Wolverhampton to understand the public's experience of booking appointments and accessing care.
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Accessing GP care in Wolverhampton

We called all GP practices to see if they have made it easier (since our last report in December 2021) for people to book appointments and access services.
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